Volume 1: Early Durango
These postcards depict the early days of Durango, Colorado. According to The City of Durango, the town was created by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Company in September 1880 as a location for smelters to work the silver and gold being mined nearby. Durango’s more moderate climate at an elevation of 6,512 feet above sea level, a steady water supply from the Animas River, and the availability of coal made it a good choice. The city was named after Durango, Mexico, supposedly because the territorial governor at the time thought the geography was similar. (source)
Pages
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- La Plata Mts.
- A black and white photo of the La Plata Mountains covered in snow - seen through oak brush in foreground.
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- Lake Electra, Durango-Silverton-Ouray Highway.
- Sepia photo of Lake Electra in the foreground, Durango-Silverton-Ouray Highway and La Plata Mountains in the background.
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- Lake Formed by Pine River Dam near Durango (Colo.)
- Lake formed by the Pine River Dam near Durango, Colorado (Vallecito).
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- Lake Formed by Pine River Dam near Durango, Colo.
- Real photo b/w aerial view of Vallecito Lake.
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- Largest Rainbow Trout Ever Caught in Pine River Dam Lake (Colo.)
- Largest rainbow trout ever caught in Pine River Dam Lake, 17 1/2#, caught by Mrs. Charles van Dusen - Bayfield, Colorado - October 1943.
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- Las Animas Canon, Colo.
- Colored picture of the Animas Canyon, Animas River in foreground, Narrow Gauge Train winding its way through.
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- Las Animas River at Durango, Colo.
- Black and white photograph of the Animas River in Durango, Colorado.
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- Leaving the Narrow Gauge Capital of the World-Durango, Colo.
- Black and white photo of the river in Durango, Colo., with the train heading towards camera
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- Library (Durango, Colo.)
- Photo of Durango public library building. Two small trees are in front of the building; another building in the background on the left side
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- Little Joe & Maude, Durango 9-23-19 Durango Fair & Roundup
- Appears to be a clown act at the Roundup, Little Joe and Maude (a burro) are in the foreground, 2 people on horseback and 5 people on foot standing next to the duo. Other horses and riders are seen indistinctly in the far background.
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- Loading Stock on the Narrow Gauge (Dolores, Colo.)
- Photograph of stock being loaded on the narrow gauge railroad in Dolores, Colorado. This is the engine used in the movie "Ticket to Tomahawk"
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- Log Cabin
- A photograph of a man putting wood on top of a log cabin.